Ignition system.



E. C. WILCOX.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED IIuG.I7,` 1915.

Patented Dee. 25, 1917.

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:GNmoN SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17. 1915.

Patented Dec. 25, 1917'.

Vmvrrnn STATES PATENToFFIcE.

ERNEST C. WILCOX, lF MEBIDEN, CQNNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB, T0 THE CONNECTICUT TELEPHONE & ELECTRIC COMPANY, 0F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION,

OF CONNECTICUT. 'I

T o all whom it may concern.'

y Be 'it' known that I, ERNEST C. Wilcox, a citizen ofthe United States of Amerlca,

'residing at Meriden, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Ignition System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to. engineshaving a relatively largenumberof cylinders, and

the general objects of the invention are to providev simple, practical and reliable means for the regular ignition ofthe charges 1n 'l such. engines.

On account of the number of cylinders fand the high speed at which'these engines operate, certain difculties have heretofore been experienced, particularly in respect to the timing of the firing in the diiferent cylinders, land the rapid production of suiiciently intense igniting sparks. These diliy each coil to the cylinders which it serves through a distributer', and the timing of thev firing in the cylinders being determined absolutely and invariably by circuit breakers, said circuit breakers being operated in proper synchronism by cams all on the same` single engine-driven cam shaft.

The distributers may be' operated bythe y cam shaft, or one distributer may be operated by the cam shaft and the otherfdistributer or distributers'be operated by separate engine-driven shafts, the distributers in this latter instance being coupled together so asto be shifted in unison upon the advance or retardationv of the spark. y

Other features of my invention will-appear as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings AI have illustrated a practical embodiment of my invention applied in this instance to the ignition of a twelve cylinder engine, but I would have it understood that my invention is-notlimited to the disclosure shown, and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the real scope and spirit of the' invention. In thedrawlation 35 interposed between it and the Wall in l l n I Figure 1 is a v1ew in slde elevation of the circuit breaker and distributer mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken i IGNITION SYSTEM.

- Specification of Letters Patent. Y Patented De. 25 1917.

.Application filed August 11, 1915. Serial No. 45,859. l

substantially-on the plane of line of Fig. l. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the circuit breaker and distributer unit, this v1ew being taken substantially on the plane of the linev 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation i of the entire ignition mechanism as applied to a twelve cylinder engine. Asa general understanding of the invention 'can probably best be obtained'by reference to the diagrammatic view showing the corn-m plete installation, attention is accordingly lirst directed to that figure. Inthis yfigure the cylinders of a twelve cylinder engine arev represented diagrammati'cally andy are numbered 1 to 12. The combined circuit breaker and irst'distributer unit is designatedfl. The second distributer unit is designated 1 6. An linduction coil for one set of cylinders is indicated at 17, and an induction coil for a second set of cylinders is indicated at 18.

The battery or source of current is indicated at k19, and an automatic controlling switch is shown at 20.

f'The circuit breaker and distributer mechanism comprises in the present instance the two units 15 and 16, the first of which is made up of the circuit breakers and dison.`the.stud28 and carrying on their ends .contacts`29 and30 for engagement with the relatively stationary contacts 31 and 32. The'v circuit breaker arms are forced over to-` ward their relatively stationary contacts by the reflexed springs 33, which bear against a contact plate 34 on the inner wall of the body or fhousing. This contact plate is insulated from the housing by a sheet of insuof the housing, and a terminal screw 36 eX- terminal being insulated 4from the housing,

by insulating bushing 37.

The stationary breakercontacts 31 and 32 are carried by the terminal plates -et() and l1 mounted on insulating bases v11:2" andl 43 within thehousing. and 4:5. are connected to these terminal plates, said terminals `being insulated Y from the v housing where they pass therethroughl by the means 'of insulated bushings 46and 47.

The pivoted breaker arms 26 and 27 are suitably'insulated from each other and from .the housing,l in the present instance, by meansof the insulating bushings 48 and insulating washers. 49 on the pivot stud 28.

The circuit breaker arms zare thus, by the means illustrated, pivoted one above 'the i' other in superposed relation and they are operated by two sets of cams arranged 1n 20,fr

superposed relation upon the cam shaft 23.

The lirst'or upper set of cams 50 operate by engagement withthe roller 51 of the Vupper breaker arm 26 to actuate the first circuit breaker, and the second set 'of cams 52 on the cam shaft below the first set operate by' engagement with the cam roller 53 of the second breaker arm 27 to-'actuate the second '3o In the construction illustrated there are six cams in eachset andI the cams of one set are circuit breaker. 'The breaker arms maybe insulated from`the cam shaft by making the cam roller-s of hardened insulating material.

vdisposed in planes intermedi-ate the cams of ,they other set. This cam' shaft, for a vfour-cycle engine,\rotatesvat half the crank shaft speed, thereby producing six breaks `for every revolution of the crank shaft.

Thev relatively stationary contact points of the circuit breakers, are preferably made adjustable tol take up wear, etc., as by making them in the form of screws, as indicated,

which canbe reached for purposes of ad-l ljustinent through openings 55 in the side of the housing. To Jfacilitate thisadjustment, the'housing may be made with an opening 56 in line with the contacting' `faces of the relatively Astationary and movable contacts.

These openings-'maynormally be closed to keep out the dust, etc., by means of a sleeve section 57 slidably engaged over the outside ofthe housing and operated bylinger hold 58.; This cover 'sleeve is cut out as lndicated i at 59 for the terminals-36-44 and 45, and

this cut-out portion is made su'ficient'ly,`

large to'allow for the rotative movement necessary to uncover the openings in the housing. y 'l The cams for the circuit breakers may be formed directly upon the cam shaft, but preferably, these cams are formed on a shafty section substantially as indicated, made of steel and, which is-'secured to the upper end ofthe cam shaftlbymeans such as the set screws 60.

External terminals 44:

coveredover at the 'top by a horizontal partition 61, whichmay be formed Withl a window 62 to give a view of the circuit breaker contacts.

The breaker unit is preferably' mounted upon ball bearings such as indicated at 65, in F ig. 1. An upper ball bearing may be also provided and be carried by the horizontalcover or .partition 61 as indicated at 66, the cani shaft being arranged to en gage with these bearings.

'- an insulating disk 75 secured in proper posi- -tion on the upper en d of the shaft.

This brush soekethas a contact spring 76 projecting upward into engagement with the point of acentral terminal 77 on thedistributer head. The brush segments or contacts 71 extendup through the top of the cap to/provide the external terminals 78, 79, 80, 81,' 82 and-83. f

The distributer 16 for the second coil and the second set of cylinders is, in the present disclosure, built as a unit separate and f distinct from the first distributer, and is,

in practice, a substantial counterpart or duplicate of the first distributer. Said distributer comprises an engine-driven shaft 85 rotating at the sameI speed as the first at its upper end a brush 86 to coperate with .or engage Athe distributer points or contact segments 87in-the distributer head 88. The distributing brush 86 is shown carried by an insulatinghead 89 mounted on the upper end of the shaft 85, .and provided with a contact spring 90, the same as in the first distributer. In Fig. 2 I have indicated how vsprings91 may beemployed to force the distributer brushes yieldingly out into en- 1 gagementwith the segments. The segments 87 of the second distributer are provided on top of thecap with external terminals 92, 93, 94, 95,96 and 97.

'105 distributer and cam shaft 23 and bearingl The-two units of. theinterrupter and distributer mechanism are coupled together by means of a pivoted link' 100 connected to outstanding arms 101 and 102 on the housings ot the two units. A rod 103 is connected to one of the units for the purpose of lshifting the same for advancing or retarding The circuit breaker mechanism vmay be.

the spark.

With this description, the operation of the invention will be fully understood by reference to the diagrammatic view. In the posil tion of the parts there indicated, the brush 86 of the second distributer is in engagement with the contact for the number 1 cylinder 5 and the circuit breaker which controls the coil that furnishes the current to the cylinder is in the act of or has acted to break the circuit to create a spark. The flowpof current in the case supposed at the moment of interruption is as follows; from current source 19, through conductor 105 to the thermostat 106 of the automatic switch20, thence b v conductor 107 to the primary 108 of the induction coil 18, conductor 109 to the lower circuit breaker terminal 45, stationary contact 32, breaker arm contact 30, breaker arm 27, terminal plate 31, terminal 36, conductor 110 to ground 111, the otherside of the current source being grounded as indicated at 112. The break in the primary circuit induces a high potential charge 'in the secondary Winding 115 of induction coil 18, the path of high tension current` being as follows:y from secondary 115 through con- 25 ductor 116, to the center terminal 9,8 of the second distributer, through brush 86 to the segment 87 of terminal 92, and from terminal 92 through high potential conductor 117 to the spark plug 118 of the number 1 cylinder, one side of this spark plug being grounded as customary, and the other end of the secondary being grounded, for instance, by means of the same ground 111.

Slight further rotation of the parts brings the brush 70 of 'the first distributer .into contact with the segment of the terminal 78. The first or upper circuit breaker operating at this moment to interrupt the current through the primary 120 of the first induc- 40 tion coil 17,'induces a high potential charge charge is sent through conductor 1122 to the spark plug on number l cylinder.

fact that the primary current conductor 107 has a branch 125 leading to the primary of induction coil 17, the other end .of ,said coil being connected by cnductor 126 to the circuit breaker terminal 44, While thesecondary 121 is connected by conductor 127 with the center terminal 77 of the first distributer. From the foregoing it will be evident that in my invention synchronism is'entirely dependent upon the breaks in the primary circuits. The cams being correctly cut and the breakers being alike and mounted directly eo one over the other then the only element justment of the breaker i oints and these points are set so as to havet em both open the same distance. This can be accomplished by adjusting the contact screws so that they are in secondary 121, whereupon a high potential The diagram, with this description, makes clear which can effect the synchronism is the ad-4 in line with eachother and this can be done by the usevof a thickness gage.' After the mechanism is once installed this is the only adjustment which vmay .ever be necessary.

My invention Will-be seen to provide reliable means for the regular ignition of engines having a comparatively large number of cylinders, which means is of a sturdy and Asimple construction, and not liable to getout f of order, and in -ivhich the timing of the tiring of the various cylinders is maintained in proper synchronism.

Ihat I claim is: y

1. .In a multi-cylinder ignition system, a shaft provided with cams, circuit breakers() arms superposed one above the other arranged -to be operated by said cams, a `distributer brush on the cam shafty above the lcams thereon anda distributer head provided with contacts disposed in the planeof movement of said brush.

2. In an ignition system for multi-cylinder engines, the vcombination of an enginel driven cam shafta set of cams on said cam Y. shaft, -a circuit breaker operated by said set of camsyay second set of cams on thecam shaft, the cams of said second set being disposed in alternating relation to the cams of the' first set, and a, second circuit breakervv operated by said second set of cams. p l f 3. `In a multi-cylinder ignition ,'sy'stem, va combined interrupter and 'distributer unit;

. includinginterrupters for all the `cylinders of the engine and a distributer for one set of engine? cylinders, an independent distributer for a second set of the engine cylinders, and means coupling said independent distributerV to the combined interrupter and distributer unit, vvherebyfsaidtwo units are simultavancing or retardingthe ignition; f..

4. `In a multi-cylinder ignition system,- a shaft provided with cams, aan interrupter housingsurrounding said cam sha-ft, an -upright pivot stud vcarried by said housing, circuit breaker arms pivoted in superposed relation onsaid stud and arranged to be' operated by the cams aforesaid, contacts carried by said arms and relativelystationary contacts in the housing arranged to be engaged by said breaker arm contacts, certain of said contacts being adjustable with respect to the engaging contacts whereby the extent of break of the respective circuit neously adjustable for the purpose of ad- 105 breaker arms may lindependently deter-"` distributer brush. on the cam shaft labove,

the cams thereon, and a distributer head provided with distributer points disposed in Operative relation tosaid brush.

6. In a multi-cylinder ignition system, a cani shaft provided with one set of spaced .cams and with a second. set of spaced cams disposed above the first set andin alternating relation'in respect tothe cams of the first set, circuit breaker a-rms superposed one above the other and arranged to be respec-` .tively operated by the two sets of cams, a

distributer brush on the cam shaft above the cams thereon,va distribnter head -pro vided with distributer points Idisposed in operative relation to said brush, a distributer shaft, a. brush carried thereby, a distributer headl provided with contact segments en gaged by said brush and a link connection between said distributer head and the first distributer head.

7. In a multi-cylinder ignition system, .a

i cam shaft provided, with superposed sets of shaft, a circuit breaker operated `by said set shaft, the cams of said second Setbeing discams, an interrupter housing surrounding said cam shaft, a pivot stud carried by said housing, circuit breaker larms pivoted in superposed relation on said stud and arranged 'to be operated by thel respective sets of cams,

contact-s carried by said arms and relatively 'stationary contacts in the housing arrangedy to be engaged bysaid breaker arm contacts.

8. In a multi-cylinder ignition system, a

cam shaft, an interrnpter housing surrounding said cam shaft, a'rel'atively stationary contact carried by said housing, a circuit breaker arm pivoted in said housing, pro-'- vided'with a contact to engage the* relatively stationary cont-act, -said housing having a side opening in the ,wall thereof exposing said contacts, and a cover sleeve rotatably engaged'on the housingprovided Withan opening arranged upon, rotation of the sleeve to be registered with the side opening in the Wallof the housing.

9.' In an ignition system for mnlti-cyliny ,der engines, the combination of an enginedriven cam shaft, a set of cams on sald cam of cams, a second set ofcams on thecam posed in alternating relation to the cams of vthe rst set, a second circuit breaker operated by said second set of cams, a distributer .arm on the cam shaft, and distributer points ydisposed about the distribnter 'arm on the camshaft. v

10. In a. multi-cylinder ignition system', an Q 4engine-driven combined interrupter and distributer unit including interrupting means for all the cylinders of thegengine and a dis-A '7 60 gagement .with the first circuit contact, and

a second circuit breaker arm mounted in the housing above the lirst circuit breaker arm,

said second circuit breaker' arm being oper ,Y

ated by the second set'of cams andprovided with a contact for engagement with the second circuit contact. e f

V12. In a multi-cylinderignition system, a-

cam shaft, an interrupter housing surround ing said cam sha-ft, a relatively stationary contact in said housing provided with means for adjustingthe same,\a circuit breaker arm movably mounted in said housing and provided with a contact to engage the relativelyl stationary contact,`s`aid housing being open in one side thereof to expose said contacts and the adjusting means for the relatively lstationary contact, and a cover -normally closing thev openisided interrupter housing to' protect the contacts and contact adjust-y ing means, said cover being movabl7 e the gaged on the housing to thereby enab exposure"`of'the contacts and the contact adjusting means.

ERNEST c. WILQOX 

